Heuchera plant named ‘Marmalade’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct hybrid of  Heuchera  plant characterized by russet to amber colored foliage, bold size and vigor.

Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Marmalade’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera hybrid and given the cultivar name of ‘Marmalade’. Heuchera is in the family Saxifragaceae. Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ originated from a cross between Heuchera ‘Amber Waves’, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,348) as the seed parent, and Heuchera ‘Huntsman’ (unpatented) as the pollen parent. Given its ornamental foliage and flower form it is probable that Heuchera micrantha, H. americana, and H. brizoides are in its parentage.

This new Heuchera is distinguished by:

-   -   1. Russet to amber, wavy foliage year round.     -   2. Small white flowers on tall flowering stems.     -   3. Excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows new growth on a two year old plant of Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ growing in the ground in the shade house in spring in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a two year old plant of Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ growing in the ground in the shade house in late fall in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Heuchera cultivar based on observations of a two-year-old specimen grown in the ground in an open air shade house with 50% shade cover and added irrigation in the summer months in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrid. -   Cultivar name: ‘Marmalade’. -   Parentage: Heuchera ‘Amber Waves’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,348 (seed     parent)×Heuchera ‘Huntsman’ (pollen parent). -   Plant:     -   -   Form.—Basal rosette, herbaceous perennial.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4 to 9.         -   Size.—30 cm tall from the ground to the top of the foliage             and 57 cm wide.         -   Vigor.—Excellent.         -   Roots.—Fibrous, freely branching, fine, and white in color.             Roots develop easily from cuttings.         -   Habit.—Mounding. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Lobing/division.—5 main lobes, with 1 to 2 shallow secondary             lobes.         -   Venation.—Palmate.         -   Margins.—Crenate, incised and slightly undulate.         -   Apex.—Mucronulate.         -   Base.—Cordate, lobes sometimes slightly overlapping at the             base.         -   Blade size.—7 to 11 cm long and 7 to 10 cm wide.         -   Surface texture.—Thin and leathery with glandular hairs on             both the upper and lower surfaces.         -   Petiole size.—16 to 19 cm and 2 to 3 mm wide.         -   Petiole surface texture.—Covered with glandular hairs of             various sizes.         -   Petiole color.—Grayed Purple 186B to 184A.         -   Leaf color.—Spring abaxial — Yellow Green 152A on the oldest             growth to Greyed Orange 164B to Greyed Orange 173A to Grayed             Purple 183B on the newest growth. Spring adaxial — Grayed             Purple 187C. Summer through winter abaxial — Yellow Green             152A on the lower leaves and Greyed Orange 173A on the             upper. Summer through winter adaxial — Grayed Purple 187C.             Veins — Same as the leaf color. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Size.—6 to 9 cm wide and 34 cm long.         -   Type.—Thyrse.         -   Number of flowers.—80 to 150 per thyrse.         -   Number of thryse in spring.—17.         -   Peduncle.—With 5 to 9 petiolate cauline leaves, orbicular to             ovate, blades 2 to 5 cm long and 1 to 7 cm wide with an             incised and crenate margin. Height — 61 to 78 cm. Diameter —             0.5 cm near base. Color — Greyed Purple 187B to D to 183A.             Surface — Glandular pubescent.         -   Branching.—3 times.         -   Pedicel.—Length — Variable. Surface — Glandular hairs. Color             — Grayed Purple 187B.         -   Bloom period.—May in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—0.25 cm wide and 0.3 cm long.         -   Description.—Glandular puberulent, ovoid.         -   Color.—Overall Yellow Green 152D. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Perfect, zygomorphic.         -   Shape.—Campanulate.         -   Size.—0.45 cm long and 0.3 cm wide.         -   Petal count.—5, inconspicuous.         -   Petal color.—White 155D on both surfaces.         -   Petal description.—Spatulate with a clawed base, curl back             with age, acute apex, entire margin.         -   Petal size.—0.25 cm long.         -   Calyx.—5 lobes, ovate, divided ¼ way to the base, with             glandular hairs.         -   Calyx size.—0.4 cm long and 0.3 cm wide.         -   Calyx and flower color.—Greenish White. Out and inside             surfaces are Yellow Green 153A at base and Yellow Green 152A             at the tips and Yellow White 158D in the middle. Outside             surface is slightly darker overall.         -   Pistil.—One, typical of the genus, with the style 3 mm long             and White 155B, 2-branched stigma White 155B, ovary greenish             white, closest to Yellow Green 145D.         -   Filiments.—5 in number, each 4 mm long, White 155B.         -   Anther.—5 in number, oval, 0.3 mm long and 0.2 mm wide,             color before dehiscence is Orange Red 24B, after dehiscence             they are the color of their pollen.         -   Pollen.—Of moderate quantity, Orange 28A.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Lastingness.—Each thryse blooms for about 2 weeks on the             plant. -   Fruit:     -   -   Type.—Two-beaked ovoid capsule.         -   Fertility.—Good.         -   Color.—Brown 200D. -   Seed:     -   -   Shape.—Linear.         -   Size.—2 mm. long.         -   Color.—Black. R.H.S. 202A. -   Pest and disease tolerance: Excellent disease resistance to powdery     mildew, the common problem of Heuchera. Susceptible to root weevils.

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR HEUCHERAS

Compared to Heuchera ‘Amber Waves’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,348), Heuchera ‘Marmalade’ has a much larger habit and size. The foliage of this new cultivar is less ruffled; larger, and darker with more pink tones overall. 

1. A new and distinct Heuchera plant as herein illustrated and described. 